Switch point



F. M. CROSSLEY.

SWITCH POINT.

y APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2s, 1919. 1,430,952, A Patented Oct. 3, 1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I l, l l

F. IVI. CROSSLEY.

swlr'cH POINT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1919.

Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented @at li,

nutren STATES maar PATENT oFFicE. i

hinanois ivn cnossnnx( ornnnronlo, MrCHIGAN.

swi'ron reina'.

:Application filedl September 26,1919.4 Serial No. 328,548; i

.To 'all whom t may concer/n.2' f "1 f i,

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. CRossLnY, acitif/ienA of the United y,ltates'iof America, residing at Redford, in the county et l/Vayne and State ot Michigan, have inventedcer-l tain yne W and useful improvements in vSwitch loints, of which the following is a specii# cation, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings;fffery i The track i equipment ot-electrically operated. railways includesswitch points provided with devicesirfoi maintaining the switch points in adjusted positions and one oi" the devices at present used includes a multiplicity olt parts which are not at allsatis- Vlnctory due tothe elements Ainterferingwith their operation andthe least wear permitting ot a switch tongue to accidentally yshiftfcaus ing derailments. Furthernjior'ie. the devices reduire.considerable space; constant attention,` and oit'teu prevent a `motornian`or switch operator trom` manually-throwing 'the switch point.` i

ildy invention aims toj provide.positiveand reliablemeans, in a manner asihereinafter set lforth1 `tor holding a swit'cli tongue after being shiflftedyand the means employed jis ot' such anature that should a switch pointv loe only partially actuated said means will either restore the lswitch point i to4 normal* position or con'udlete the actuation of the saule. ln'other words, there `is `no inter` mediate position zior ltheV switch point and consequently derailmonts are avoided. p f

My invention further aims to -provide a simple. dura-ble and inexpensive'switch point holding devicethat may he easily` and quickly installed, occupies a comparatively small space,` and is applicable to the switchitongues J. ot various linds of railways." i

My invention will lie vhereinafter considered and then claimed, and referencelwill now be had to the drawing fwherein;

Figure 1 is a plan/ot'- Aa'nelectric railway switch provided with a switch tongue holding device in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. cross sectional view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line llllll of Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a perspective view of another type of railway switch provided with a tongue holding device;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the device. and

Fig. 6 is a plan o'l" a railway switch ot a heavier type provided with' devices in accordance with my invention.

Considering Figures l, 2 and 3, showing the.p`referr'ed form ofconstruction, the referencenumeral lrdenotesa switch mate and associated therewith is a switch tongue housing 2 having a switch tongue 3 pivoted in the usual and well known manner sothat it may be swung in a laterall plane `for switching rolling stock on rails connected` to the mate 1 and the switch point housing 2 i o The top of the housing 2 has ank opening etprovidnig'` clearance'ltor a depending lug 5.oar-ried by the switchtongue 3, intermediate the. ends thereotv and :connected to said lugis a bolt `Orslide har 6 extending through an `openingf/"in the side of the housing 2 into afcasing 8 connected tro-:the side` of the housing 2 `hy loolts 9 or other fastening means. The :casing 8 -inay be `formed integral with the housing 2 and be devoid ot a has ra detachable `cover plate 10.'A

0n the holt 6,? against the lug. 5. is a sleeve 1'1"v serving ias a `spacer `memloer for a double conical-shaped head 12 mounted on the outery end fot the `holt 6 and retained thereon by nuts 13er otheijtastening means. The double conical-shaped head 12 presents two annulariheveled ori roundediaces and one oit these 'facesis always engaged hy the inheritl portions 14 otispring arms 15. forming` part oi' acne-piece spring or resilient member 1G connected to a wall of the casing lfrhyf'fastening meansfdesignated 1'?.` The spring 'arinsdo are opposed and serve somewhatas a snapftastener or automatic cap andfwitlrthe head 12 constantly'hetween thespring arms said armsare held under tension exerting alconstant pressure against the head 12 sothat the switch tongue 3 will belheld lagainst either of the walls 18 or 19 o'fthejhousing'2- The housing 2 has recesses .2O Asoy that-ar tongue throwing rod or tool may loe placed against either side of" the switch tongue 3 to shift it from one position to another. Considering Figure 1 and assuming that the tongue 3 is to he shifted, a movement ot' the head 12 between the spring arms 15 and towards the outer end of the spring causes the arms to move apart until the large and central portion of the head passes the inhent portions 14 of the spring arms, when said inherit portions enga-ge the other face of the head and positively hold the head against accidental displacement. When shifting the tong-ne 3 should the operator neglect to completely throw the tongue the spring arms 15 will either restore the switch tongue to normal position or ycompletely shift the same. 'The latter instance is particularly true should the operator of the switch tongue impart suiiicient impetus thereto to cause the head ,12 to ride over the apex of each of the inbent portions 14 of the spring Aa-rms 15, .and itis in consequence of this construction that the switch tongue cannot be left in an intermediate position.

To facilitate installing the device and particularly the bolt 6, the housing 2 may have an .auxiliary casing 21 communicating with the housing 2 through a side :opening 22, said opening alignin with the bolt 6 l`so that access may be ha thereto. .In some instances the auxiliary `easing 21 may be dispensed with.

Considering Figs. et and I5, there is shown another type of switch embodying a rail 23 having a switch point 24 movable to and from said rail, said switch point being connected to a slide bar 25 adapted :to be actuated by a link 26 and a lever actuated crank 27. These elements are of a conventional form and are illustrated as an example vof switch throwing devices used on steam rail-v roads.

Adjustably connected to the inner side of the rail 23 is a spring arm or resilient member 28 having an apex or bent portion 29 adapted to engage the end of .the tongue 24, said spring arm lying at a right angle to the switch point with the point constantly in engagement therewith, so that the apex or bent portion 2:9 of the device will retain the switch point either in a closed or open position relative to the rail 23. lith the device adjustably connected to the web of the rail it may be shifted to compensate for wear on the extreme end of the switch point and its location does not interfere with the flange of a wheel moving over the rail or switch point.

A somewhat similar. switch is shown in Fig. 6 as having a slide bar 30 for switch tongues or points 31. A switch throwing device and semaphore signal, generally designated 32, is operatively connected by a rod 33 to the slide bar 30 and the connecting bolt or pin 34 is slightly longer than the usual bolt or pin, so as to accommodate a` head or roller 35. Since a roller possesses two convex kor somewhat conical faces it will serve vits purpose .as well as the head lf2 previously referred to.

On the ties adjacent the bolt 34, is a casing 36 containing a spring or resilient retaining member 37 `that is normally engaged by the head or roller 35, and the rod 33 and slide bar 30 may extend under or through the casing. The retaining member 37 yieldably holds the head orroller .35, so that the switch `throwing device r32 `may operate the switch,

otherwise, the switch points or tongues 31 cannot 'be accidentally shifted by rolling stock.

In some `instances the slide bar 30 may extend into lanother holding `device 38 at the opposite side of the track, and this simple construction is in contra-distinction to those devices, some of which have twenty or more pants, which must receive constant attention and cannot be relied upon, particularly in cold weather, to hold a switch in an adjusted position.y

The structural elements of my invention are susceptible to such variations and modiications as :tall within the scope of the appended claim.

In a switch point housing wherein aswitch point has a slide bar extending from the housing and by which the switch point may be held in an adjusted position z-means at the side of said housing for holding the bar of said Switchpoint, said means comprising a casing having an end wall, a resilient 'member having its middle portion connected to the end wall of said casing and provided with opposed bowed portions adjacent the end wall of the casing, the bowed portions terminating in arms having opposed inbent portions, and a head on the slide bar of said switch point adapted to be forcibl shifted between the inbent arm portions o said resilient member so that said resilient member, head, and switch housing may cooperate in holding the switch point in an adjusted position.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. CROSSLEY.

Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, KARL H. BUTLER. 

